Four Human Bird Flu Cases Confirmed in Colorado, Fifth Case Under Investigation

July 15 :
Officials in Colorado are currently investigating a fifth possible case of H5N1 avian flu after four cases were confirmed in poultry workers there on July 14. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that if the H5N1 avian flu virus were to evolve to become more contagious, it may lead to devastating illness in humans and perhaps a global epidemic.

According to the Colorado public health department, four of the instances have been confirmed by the CDC, while a fifth case is still pending confirmation. The CDC is backing additional inquiry into the situation.

A statement from the state laboratory stated that samples from a fifth worker tested positive on Saturday and will be forwarded to the CDC for confirmation. It stated that the employees displayed moderate symptoms ranging from conjunctivitis (pink-eye) to respiratory indications, but that none of them were hospitalized.